It takes lots of bravery to parent. We worry that our child may not fit into the competition of sports or find their passion. We hunt down the best activities that bring out their strengths, include exercise and allow them to let off steam after a long day indoors at school. Mostly, we want them to be happy. From my experience, one way to help our child is to support a weekly activity that contains the above qualities without pressure—a safety zone to explore and create with no expectations other than the ones they place on themselves.

While searching for teaching venues with quality and integrity beyond franchised companies, I’ve found an ideal setting that allows children to get past the walls and into the wild: Blue Heron Nature Preserve.

Nurturing your child’s creativity and sense of wonder, the Preserve puts them in contact with turtles, birds and other wildlife and directly engages them in the natural world without lawn chemicals or blowers. And unlike school programs with hundreds creating the same project, individual ideas are supported in our cozy art room called the Burrow or our studio loft called the Nest. Because of the small group format, I can also share advanced art concepts in an open dialogue that encourages questions.